Strip dispensing carton



' July 13, 1943.

R. H. BAYER STRIP DISPENSING CARTON Filed Dec. 5,- 1942 INVE NTO R 51am #0 HZAYM ATTORN Y Patented July 13, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STRIP DISPENSING CARTON Application December 5, 1942, Serial No. 468,177

12 Claims.

This invention relates to cartons for dispensing strips, ribbons, cords and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a carton of the character described having means formed from the material thereof for guiding a strip, ribbon or strand withdrawn from the carton and for severing the strand, leaving a portion thereof exposed for Convenient gripping to facilitate withdrawal of another length.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed, and in which the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views; and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a carton made according to my invention with parts of the construction broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectionon the line 33 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 2, but showing only a part of the construction, and showing a modification.

The structure disclosed in'this application constitutes an improvement on the construction disclosed in the application of Harry J. Rossi,'fi1ed December '14, 1939, Serial Number 309,178.

In the Rossi application the ribbon or "strand is withdrawn through one wall of the carton adjacent one corner thereof and cut at the opposed corner of the same wall, and as a result, often times the end of the ribbon or strandwhich was I.

intended to be left protruded from the carton would be withdrawn or would be moved into positions rendering the same non-accessible. Further difficulties have been-experiencedin severing the strand, particularly by reason of the fact that if the strand was grabbed short and adjacent the cutting member, the fingersof the hand would engage the carton and limit this cutting operation.

With my improved carton, I have cut from the material of the two angularly disposed Walls of the carton guide channels for guiding the ribbon or strand as it is withdrawn from the roller, reel Or other support within the carton and further I have arranged the severing means at a corner diagonally disposed with respect to the corner of the carton through which the strand is drawn. Furthermore the severing means in the form of a single edge razor blade is supported by means completely formed from the material of the carton, which means further reinforces that part of the carton in connection with which the severing means or blade is supported.

The carton I ii is formed from a single blank of sheet material substantially in accordance with the teachings of the Rossi application herein identified and in the inexpensive uses of the invention the sheet material will be paper board, lithographed cardboard or the like.

For purposes of description, the wall II will be referred to as a back wall, and this wall has projecting flanges or flaps l2 and I3 apertured to facilitate mounting of the carton on a wall, table or other support. In hanging on a wall, the flange 1.2 will be disposed upwardly, thus .the wall 14 will be referred to as the top wall, the Wall I5 the bottom wall, the wall [6 the front wall, and the walls ll the side walls.

The rear end portion-of the top wall it has an inwardly folded flap or flange l8 which is adapted to bear upon or frictionally engage the rib bon, tape or strand [9 as it is pulled through the opening 20 from a spool, reel or other holder 2!, arranged within the carton.

At this time it is Well to mention that the invention is designed particularly in dispensing ribbon which is wound upon spools similar to the spool .2! and particularly when these spools contain many yards of ribbon and where dispensing willextend over a long period of time.

The ribbon [-9 after passing through the opening 20 is passed along the top wall l4 and then inwardly through an elongated aperture 22 formed in the wall [4 and then outwardly through a smaller elongated aperture 23 formed in the front wall IS. The apertures 22 and 23 are produced by cutting the flaps 24 and 25 respectively from the walls It and I5, and these flaps may be secured to inner surfaces of the walls as shown or may be simply left free as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

The free end of the ribbon l9 will lie upon the outer surface of the front wall [6 to be accessible for grasping by the hand in pulling a predetermined length of the ribbon from the container or carton in the operation of severing the same by pulling the ribbon over the cutting edge of a razor blade 28, supported at the corner of the carton diagonally opposite the outlet corner 2!! and formed between the walls l5 and [6.

The razor blade 25 is supported upon the wall l5 by a tab 21 cut out from the wall [6 as indicated by the opening 28. The free end of the tab having laterally extending flanges or ears 29 adapted to bepassed through spaced apertures 30 formed in the wall IS. The folded portion of the tab 21. and adjacent wall l of the carton are out out as indicated at 3| and these out out portions form a pair of inturned flanges 32 adapted to engage the enlarged backed side 33 of the razor blade 28 to support the blade against displacement. By properly controlling the width of the cut outs 3| as Well as the depth thereof, the positioning of the cutting edge of the blade 26 may be located in the opening 3| which exposes the cutting edge for engagement by the ribbon l 9 in the operation of severing the ribbon.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the tab 2'! is folded outwardly, thus supporting the blade 26 on the outer surface of the wall 15. However, when the carton is lithographed on one surface only this would expose an unlithographed or unfinished surface of the tab 21. In such instances, it will be preferred to fold the tab 27 inwardly, thus mounting the blade 26 on the inner surface of the wall as is indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

With the present construction it will be apparent that the flange or flap [8 will'engage the ribbon H! to establish suificient friction to support the withdrawn portion of the ribbon in extended position. The two apertures 22 and 23 also serve to maintain the free end of the ribbon in a more or less centralized position upon the wall I6 for engagement by th fingers of a hand.

The diagonal positioning of the ribbon in passing through the apertures 22, 23 prevent the ribbon from passing over a sharp corner which facilitates free withdrawal of the ribbon, and the length and relative contour of the two apertures also compensates for the travel of the ribbon along the full length of the spool in the operation of unwinding the same, the aperture 22 and the angularity of the end walls thereof being such as to take in the full length of the discharge opening 20. This construction tends to eliminate binding of ribbon as might otherwise be experienced.

In actual use the cartons in their fiat, knockdown condition may be shipped with a number of spools and the assemblage made by the distributor or user. The blade assemblage with the wall 15 may be made while the carton is in its knockdown state and in either of the positions disclosed.

It will also be understood that in the operation of withdrawing the ribbon from the carton, the ribbon may be pulled in a line substantially straight with the two apertures 22, 23, but when the ribbon is being severed, the further bending of the ribbon at the corner portion where the blade 26 is located tends to more securely hold the ribbon against slippage from the spool, thus insuring a positive severance of the ribbon.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A device for dispensing ribbon and similar strands, said device comprising a substantially rectangular container in which the strand to be dispensed is adapted to be arranged, one edge portion of the container having an elongated discharge opening, means at a diagonally opposed edge of the container for supporting a cutter for severing the strand withdrawn from the container, and an intermediate edge portion of the container having on angularly extending walls registering apertures through which the strand passes to centralize the free end portion of the strand on one of said last named walls.

2. A device for dispensing ribbon and similar strands, said device comprising a. substantially rectangular container in which the strand to be dispensed is adapted to be arranged, one edge portion of the container having an elongated discharge opening, means at a diagonally opposed edge of the container for supporting a cutter for severing the strand withdrawn from the container, an intermediate edge portion of the container having on angularly extending walls registering apertures through which the strand passes to centralize the free end portion of the strand on one of said last named walls, and said first named means comprising a tab cut from the material of one wall of the container and secured to the adjacent portion of another wall thereof.

3. A device for dispensing ribbon and similar strands, said device comprising a substantially rectangular container in which the strand to be dispensed is adapted to be arranged, one edge portion of the container having an elongated discharge opening, means at a diagonally opposed edge of the container for supporting a cutter for severing the strand withdrawn from the container, an intermediate edge portion of the container having on angularly extending walls registering apertures through which the strand passes to centralize the iree end portion of the strand on one of said last named walls, said first named means comprising a tab cut from the material of one wall of the container and secured to the adjacent portion of another wall thereof, and said tab and last named wall being cut out to form an opening exposing the cutter therethrough.

4. A device for dispensing ribbon and similar strands, said device comprising a substantially rectangular container in which the strand to be dispensed is adapted to be arranged, one edge portion of the container having an elongated discharge opening, means at a diagonally opposed edge of the container for supporting a cutter for severing the strand withdrawn from the container, an intermediate edge portion of the container having on angularly extending walls registering apertures through which the strand passes to centralize the free end portion of the strand on one of said last named walls, said first named means comprising a tab cut from the material of one wall of the container and secured to the adjacent portion of another wall thereof, said tab and last named Wall being cut out to form an opening exposing the cutter therethrough, and said last named cut out forming two tabs adapted to engage a cutter to aid in supporting the same in position.

5. A strand dispensing device, comprising a container formed from a single sheet of material folded to form when assembled a rectangular body having front, back, top, bottom, and side walls, means extending longitudinally of the edge portion of the container, formed between the back and top walls, for guiding and supporting a strand withdrawn from the container, means centrally of the edge portion, formed between the front and bottom walls of the container, for supporting a cutter, means integral with the back wall for securing the container to a suitable support, and said cutter supporting means comprising a tab cut from the material of one wall of the container and secured to an adjacent wall thereof.

6. A strand dispensing device, comprising a container formed from a single sheet of material folded to form when assembled a rectangular body having front, back, top, bottom, and side Walls, means extending longitudinally of the edge portion of the container, formed between the back and top walls, for guiding and supporting a strand withdrawn from the container, means centrally of the edge portion, formed between the front and bottom walls of the container, for supporting a cutter, means integral with the back wall for securing the container to a suitable support, said cutter supporting means comprising a tab cut from the material of one wall of the container and secured to an adjacent wall thereof, and said top wall and front wall having elongated apertures centrally thereof adjacent the top front edge of the container for guiding the strand withdrawn from the container and centralizing the same on the front wall thereof.

7. In a strand dispenser comprising a container through which a strand is withdrawn longitudinally of one edge portion of the container and between two angularly disposed walls thereof, means at an opposed edge of the container and between two other angularly disposed walls thereof for supporting a cutter employed to sever the strand withdrawn from the container, said means comprising a tab secured to one of said last named walls, and said tab and last named wall being cut out to expose the edge of the cutter at said edge portion.

8. In a strand dispenser comprising a container through which a strand is withdrawn longitudinally of one edge portion of the container and between two angularly disposed walls thereof, means at an opposed edge of the container and between two other angularly disposed walls thereof for supporting a cutter employed to sever the strand withdrawn from the container, said means comprising a tab cut from one of said last named walls and foldable onto the other of said last named walls and secured thereto, and the tab and last named wall being cut out to form an opening exposing a cutter therethrough at said last named edge of the container.

9. In a strand dispenser comprising a container through which a strand is withdrawn longitudinally of one edge portion of the container and between two angularly disposed walls thereof, means at an opposed edge of the container and between two other angularly disposed walls thereof for supporting a cutter employed to sever the strand withdrawn from the container, said means comprising a tab cut from one of said last named walls and foldable onto the other of said last named walls and secured thereto, the tab and last named wall being cut out to form an opening exposing a cutter therethrough at said last named edge of the container, the cutter comprising a single edge razor blade, and means on the last named wall and said tab engaging the blade to retain the same against displacement.

10. In a strand dispenser comprising a container through which a strand is withdrawn longitudinally of one edge portion of the container and between two angularly disposed walls thereof, means at an opposed edge of the container and between two other angularly disposed walls thereof for supporting a cutter employed to sever the strand withdrawn from the container, said means comprising a tab cut from one of said last named walls and foldable onto the other of said last named walls and secured thereto, the tab and last named wall being cut out to form an opening exposing a cutter therethrough at said last named edge of the container, the cutter comprising a single edge razor blade, means on the last named wall and said tab engaging the blade to retain the same against displacement, one of the last mentioned angularly arranged walls and one of the first mentioned angularly arranged walls having registering apertures for guiding the strand at a point intermediate the two opposed edge portions of the container.

11. The combination with a ribbon dispensing carton, of means at one edge portion of the carton for severing ribbon Withdrawn from the carton, said means comprising a razor blade arranged flat upon one wall of the carton to expose one edge portion of the blade longitudinally of one edge defined by said wall, and means independent of said blade and secured to said wall for supporting the blade against displacement therefrom.

12. The combination with a ribbon dispensing carton, of means at one edge portion of the car ton for severing ribbon withdrawn from the carton, said means comprising a razor blade arranged flatly upon one wall of the carton to expose one edge portion of the blade longitudinally of one edge defined by said wall, means secured to said wall for supporting the blade against displacement therefrom, and said last named means comprising a tab formed integrally from an adjacent angularly disposed wall of the container.

RICHARD H. BAYER. 

